Improvement in tsunks



uma tatteinvention snflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it.

ri es, and very light.

CALVIN HORTON, 0F 'SOMERVILLE, MASSAGHUSETTS.

Letters-Patent No 76.193, dated Jim-ch 31, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUNKS.

fitlgtfitlptult want it in time 21m @fizmnt ant mthingpitt at the smut- TO ALL wHoM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CALVIN HORTON, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Travelling-Trunks; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawing, which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my My invention has particularreference. to the finish or eovering-snrface of wooden travelling-trunks. As now' made, the outer surfaces of such trunks are covered with leather, or cloth, or paper, neither'one of which possesses suflicient strength to resist sharp blows, while the leather is, furthermorqnow too expensive to be applied to ordinary or cheap travelling-trunks. I I

My invention consists in constructing a travelling-trunk with a wooden body, covered with thin strips, sheets, or veneers of wood, cemented to the body, the abutting edges ofwhich stripsere covered with and held and protected by cleats, straps, or plates of metal or wood, properly securedto the body of the trunk.

This construction makes a cheap, impervious, and'strong tru'nlcsurfaeefnot liable to defaceinent or inju- .The drawing represents a trunk embodying my invention, A showing a rear elevation, and B a cross scc'tion' of'the-same. As the strapping, hinging, and locking of the trunk have no connection with inyirnprorements, I have not shown any of these devices, leaving them oil to more clearly showmy invention. 7 I

a denotes the lower part, and b the lid or upper part of the trunk. c dbnotes the wooden frame or body 'of the trunk. To the whole outer surface of this body, I fit "strips of wood venecring, out so thin thatthey may be readily brought into contact with all parts of the trunk-surfaces, and havingst camed or soaked these veneers, I fasten them to the trunk-surfaces by paste, glue, or other suitable cement. To make the veneers fit closely to the body, I employ a series of strips, (Z, on each surface, except the bottom, the ends of these 'strips beingcovred and' protected bythe metal corner-pieces e. The abutting edges ot' each two adjoining pieces,'I

coverby a strip or cleat, f, secured to thebody of the trunk by straps g, and, if necessary, by bolts or-rivets passing through thccleats to the inner surface of the trunk. The cleats serve the double purpose of protecting the surface of the trunk from blows, and of protecting the joint between each two adjacent pieces of the veneering. They may be made of wood or' of metal, as maybe deemed most desirable. After the veneers are cemented upon the trunk, a heavy coating of varnish is applied to their outer surfaces, this varnish rendering them impervious, and imparting a smooth finish. V

In employing the series of strips in this. manner, woods of various kinds and colors may be used to make a fanciful-looking trunk, but I prefer to use wood of one kind and color for any onetrunk;

I claim a travelling-trunk, theouter surface of the body of which is covered with strips of thin wood, the abutting edges of'rvhich strips are protected by the cleats or straps, substantially as described.

CALVIN HORTON.

vWitnesses. v

J. B. Gnosnr, Farmers-Goose, 

